FAQWelcome to Wayne's Words Home of Lake Powell Fishing Informationhttp://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&id=1&Itemid=41
Tue, 26 Sep 2017 21:47:10 +0000Joomla! 1.5 - Open Source Content Managementen-gbArticle on Global impact of Musselshttp://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=916:article-on-global-impact-of-mussels&catid=51:news&Itemid=50
http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=916:article-on-global-impact-of-mussels&catid=51:news&Itemid=50http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/leaping-out-of-the-lakes-invasive-mussels-spread-across-america-b99297535z1-267015281.html]]>waynegustaveson@hughes.net (Wayne Gustaveson)NewsMon, 01 Dec 2014 20:55:38 +0000Trophy Striper - June 13, 2014 - Adam Joneshttp://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=837:trophy-striper-june-13-2014-adam-jones&catid=51:news&Itemid=50
http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=837:trophy-striper-june-13-2014-adam-jones&catid=51:news&Itemid=50Early Saturday morning, June 14, a call came stating a big striper had just been caught at the mouth of Warm Creek. It took about 20 minutes to get there but we soon found a boat at the corner of Warm Creek and the main channel. Adam Jones and Deborah Williams were right there and when we got in range Adam held up a huge striper. We got out of the wind and headed to shore where we could get the full story.

Adam and Deborah were out at dawn fishing along Warm Creek Wall when they noticed a surface disturbance. As they got closer it proved to be a giant striper thrashing on top. They got close enough to net the fish and then tried to resuscitate the fish and release it. But it was to no avail, the big fish succumbed within minutes of capture. They measured the fish using hand widths and came up with 45 inches. That’s when I showed up and began discussing options.

Adam would like to have the fish mounted as it was the biggest fish he ever “caught”. But it is entirely possible to make a fiberglass mount by just supplying dimensions and a picture to the taxidermist. It was determined that I would take the fish, determine exact measurements, and perform a necropsy to determine cause of death. I put the big fish on ice and headed back to the lab.

This fish was 44 inches long and weighed 28.75 pounds (certified scales) with a girth of 25.5 inches. Most striped bass of this length exceed 30 pounds but this one had an empty stomach except for 3 carp spines. It had been eating recently but the mostly empty stomach, which was 14 inches long, did not add an extra pound or two which is common when the stomach is full. That also explains why the girth was 2 inches smaller than other stripers of this length.

The cause of death was likely spawning stress. The 10-inch long ovaries were spent suggesting this fish had just completed spawning. Full ripe ovaries can weigh 2-3 pounds which would add more weight and girth to this fish.

Striped bass are a marine fish that are adapted to life in the ocean. As they mature they seek water temperature in the mid 60s. Juvenile stripers can survive well in warmer water. This genetic change with age, separates large and small stripers and protects small fish from predation by larger ones.

In fresh water the opposite is true. When adult stripers mature and are forced into deeper, cooler water it is adult fish that struggle. Shad live in warm water where juvenile stripers reside. When adults leave the warm zone their food choices become limited leaving juvenile stripers on top with shad and the competitive advantage. If adult stripers are not large enough to eat 1-pound carp, and catfish then they become malnourished. This explains why there are so many large, lean fish in certain years.

But this trophy fish was healthy and well nourished. Striped bass are surface spawners so they must abide the warm water during spawning. If they stay in 75+ degree water for an extended time, lactic acid builds up in the muscles beyond the capacity of the fish to recover. This is the cause of death of most trophy fish that are found dead on the surface.

My best guess is that this fish succumbed to post spawning stress and excessive lactic acid buildup in warm water which prevented the fish from diving into deep water.

Scales were read to determine age. This fish was similar to other trophy striped bass from Lake Powell. The age was 10 years which seems to be the maximum life span of large stripers. Those that do not leave the school seldom live longer than 5 years, while trophy fish live twice that long. Large stripers are loners that hunt catfish, carp, and walleye in the cooler water. They do come into shallow water to eat shad on occasion when shad numbers are high and hunting forage does not require a long stay in warm water.

I want to thank Alan and Deborah for sharing their fish with us so we could learn more about the rare trophy fish that do swim in Lake Powell.

Early Saturday morning, June 14, a call came stating a big striper had just been caught at the mouth of Warm Creek. It took about 20 minutes to get there but we soon found a boat at the corner of Warm Creek and the main channel. Adam Jones and Deborah Williams were right there and when we got in range Adam held up a huge striper. We got out of the wind and headed to shore where we could get the full story. Adam and Deborah were out at dawn fishing along Warm Creek Wall when they noticed a surface disturbance. As they got closer it proved to be a giant striper thrashing on top. They got close enough to net the fish and then tried to resuscitate the fish and release it. But it was to no avail, the big fish succumbed within minutes of capture. They measured the fish using hand widths and came up with 45 inches.

That’s when I showed up and began discussing options.Adam would like to have the fish mounted as it was the biggest fish he ever “caught”. But it is entirely possible to make a fiberglass mount by just supplying dimensions and a picture to the taxidermist. It was determined that I would take the fish, determine exact measurements, and perform a necropsy to determine cause of death. I put the big fish on ice and headed back to the lab.

This fish was 44 inches long and weighed 28.75 pounds (certified scales) with a girth of 25.5 inches. Most striped bass of this length exceed 30 pounds but this one had an empty stomach except for 3 carp spines. It had been eating recently but the mostly empty stomach, which was 14 inches long, did not add an extra pound or two which is common when the stomach is full. That also explains why the girth was 2 inches smaller than other stripers of this length.

The cause of death was likely spawning stress. The 10-inch long ovaries were spent suggesting this fish had just completed spawning. Full ripe ovaries can weigh 2-3 pounds which would add more weight and girth to this fish.

Striped bass are a marine fish that are adapted to life in the ocean. As they mature they seek water temperature in the mid 60s. Juvenile stripers can survive well in warmer water. This genetic change with age, separates large and small stripers and protects small fish from predation by larger ones. In fresh water the opposite is true. When adult stripers mature and are forced into deeper, cooler water it is adult fish that struggle. Shad live in warm water where juvenile stripers reside. When adults leave the warm zone their food choices become limited leaving juvenile stripers on top with shad and the competitive advantage. If adult stripers are not large enough to eat 1-pound carp, and catfish then they become malnourished. This explains why there are so many large, lean fish in certain years.

But this trophy fish was healthy and well nourished. Striped bass are surface spawners so they must abide the warm water during spawning. If they stay in 75+ degree water for an extended time, lactic acid builds up in the muscles beyond the capacity of the fish to recover. This is the cause of death of most trophy fish that are found dead on the surface.

My best guess is that this fish succumbed to post spawning stress and excessive lactic acid buildup in warm water which prevented the fish from diving into deep water.

Scales were read to determine age. This fish was similar to other trophy striped bass from Lake Powell. The age was 10 years which seems to be the maximum life span of large stripers. Those that do not leave the school seldom live longer than 5 years, while trophy fish live twice that long. Large stripers are loners that hunt catfish, carp, and walleye in the cooler water. They do come into shallow water to eat shad on occasion when shad numbers are high and hunting forage does not require a long stay in warm water.

I want to thank Alan and Deborah for sharing their fish with us so we could learn more about the rare trophy fish that do swim in Lake Powell.

Just because - I took a picture of the lateral line which is large enough for all to see. It is the line just to the right of the fish scale. This is a sensory organ that allows fish to feel vibration in the water. A smalll hair protrudes from the pore that registers when a vibration is felt. Fish can feel other fish swim or lures that vibrate in the water.

First I would like to thank Clayton Brown and Brown Brothers Construction for their great work on deepening the Castle Rock Cut. Clayton was always willing to take time to talk and keep me updated on the project. He jumped off the cat any time I came walking along the ridge. We also talked about fishing but this is about the deepening project. He is a big guy but the heavy equipment they use is much bigger.

BBC moved over 300,000 cubic yards of material from the Cut and layered it smoothly on the north side near Castle Rock. After the lake floods the land this year the material will look just like lake bottom and undistrubed rocky soil as seen everywhere else on Lake Powell.

This picture looks west towards Wahweap Bay. Lake elevation is 3577 on April 28, 2014. The Cut is 3 feet above lake level.

The bottom is flat having been meticulously graded after the material was moved.

The Cut is about 1 mile long and 150 feet wide which will allow two houseboats to safely pass each other. Here the last truck ramp is being removed before taking the equipment out of the Cut.

Here is the Cut looking toward Warm Creek.

The Warm Creek end is very shallow so the lake will have to come up 8 feet from this point so boats can navigate Warm Creek as well as the Cut.

Picutres from the beginning of the project are found below.

Aerial View - Pictures from Bill Zeglin - April 4, 2014

Pictorial update of the deepening - Pictures from March 26, 2014

Brown Bros. Construction is doing a great job of deepening the Castle Rock Cut. It is a huge project to remove so much fill from the Cut. Here is a view from Wahweap looking east to the main construction in the middle of the Cut.

Its a long walk to get from the Wahweap shoreline to the construction deepening in the middle of the Cut. There is a coffer dam protecting the construction from rising water.

The construction equipment is huge but looks small in the deep canyon. What looks like smoke is actually rock being scraped by the blade.

The loaders and dump trucks take a hybrid car sized scoop and fill the huge dump truck in 7 scoops which takes about 2 minutes.

Here is a good perspective on the depth of the Cut .

According to the crew they have deepened the Cut about half way. The expect to finish near the end of April. Here is the view to the East toward Warm Creek.

After another hike I can see Warm Creek.

And finallly looking back toward Wahweap.

There is a lot of fill to be moved from the shallow zones on each end that was once under water when the Cut was usable at Elevation 3600. The new Cut will be deepened to 3580 which should make it usable for a long time into the future with normal annual runoff.

]]>waynegustaveson@hughes.net (Wayne Gustaveson)NewsSun, 23 Mar 2014 02:01:52 +0000Historic - Quagga Mussel Handout -before infestation http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=702:quagga-mussel-handout-&catid=51:news&Itemid=50
http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=702:quagga-mussel-handout-&catid=51:news&Itemid=50Starting on June 20, 2013 a Handout is being given to all arriving boaters at NPS entrance booths, stapled to the back of the Green Mussel Certificate. The informational document states that Decontamination is required when leaving Lake Powell.

Here are the facts:

Mussels were discovered at Lake Powell in March 2013. It is now possible that mussels can attach to your boat while at the lake. Therefore, live mussels must be removed before leaving the lake. This requires you to inspect your boat before leaving Lake Powell as it is not legal to transport mussels along the highway in UT or AZ

While at the ramp you must clean all mud and debris from your boat and drain water from ballast tanks, bilge, livewells and engine. Remove the plug. Tilt motor up and down until no water drains out. Remove any foreign matter from boat and trailer.

This is the first step in a complete decontamination process. The second step must occur before the boat is launched in a new water.

The boat can be dried for 7 days (during summer) at your home. Or if you wish to launch before the drying period is complete then the boat must be professionally decontaminated with scalding water (140 degrees) before launching at a new water. Phone numbers are given below to find a decontamination station.

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources will set up boater check points along the highways to ensure that departing boaters have taken these precautions and that boats driving along the Utah highways are clean, drained and dry.

Please do your part to prevent mussels from being moved to new waters in Utah and other states.

The text of the informational document which you will receive at Lake Powell is as follows:

DECONTAMINATION REQUIRED AT LAKE POWELL

In March 2013, quagga mussels were discovered in Lake Powell. These tiny clams can reproduce quickly and attach to almost anyunderwater surface. If they accumulate, they can damage irrigation pipes, boat engines, intake valves and other submerged items.The mussels’ microscopic larvae can hide in water that accumulates on your boat and recreational equipment. To prevent theseinvasive mussels from spreading to other lakes and reservoirs, anyone who uses a watercraft at Lake Powell must:decontaminate it after leaving the water.Why is decontamination mandatory?It is critically important to protect our waterbodies from invasive species. If our recreation areas become infested, access to yourfavorite lake or reservoir could be restricted. We don’t want to see this happen, so we’ve provided some easy decontaminationprocesses for everyone who boats at Lake Powell. By following these laws, you — the boaters — can help keep waters clean and openfor everyone.Decontamination is simpleUnder Utah law, you are required to decontaminate your boat when leaving Lake Powell. This means that immediatelyafter boating — while you are still onsite at the lake — you must clean any mud and plants off your boat and drain all its water (fromthe wells, ballast and lower-engine unit). Then, there are two easy options to finalize the decontamination process:Option #1— Before boating in another water, you must dry your boat and equipment completely: 7 days in summer (5 days inArizona), 18 days in spring/fall and 30 days in winter.Option #2— If do not have time to dry your boat completely (as specied above), please contact the Utah Division of WildlifeResources for a free, professional decontamination before you boat in another water. Contact numbers are found here:

Stop for checkpointsLaw enforcement personnel will conduct random checkpoints near Lake Powell during the 2013 boating season. If you aretransporting a watercraft, you will be required to stop during the checkpoints. The primary goals of the checkpoints are to:• Verify that water or mussels are not being transported• Educate boaters about the importance of properly decontaminating their watercraft and equipment

Decontamination required at Lake PowellPlease do your part to help keep quagga mussels out of other waterbodies.

In March 2013, quagga mussels were discovered in Lake Powell. These tiny mussels can reproduce quickly and attach to almost any underwater surface. If they accumulate, they can damage irrigation pipes, boat engines, intake valves and other submerged items. The mussels’ microscopic larvae can hide in water that accumulates on your boat and recreational equipment. To prevent these invasive mussels from spreading to other lakes and reservoirs, anyone who uses a watercraft at Lake Powell must decontaminate it after leaving the water.

Why is decontamination mandatory?It is critically important to protect our waterbodies from invasive species. If our recreation areas become infested, access to your favorite lake or reservoir could be restricted. We don’t want to see this happen, so we’ve provided some easy decontamination processes for everyone who boats at Lake Powell. By following these laws, you — the boaters — can help keep waters clean and open for everyone.

Decontamination is simple:Under Utah and Arizona law, you are required to decontaminate your boat when leaving Lake Powell. This means that immediately after boating — while you are still onsite at the lake — you must clean any mud and plants off your boat and drain all its water(from the wells, ballast and lower-engine unit).

Then, there are two easy options to finalize the decontamination process:

Option #1 — Before boating in another water, you must dry your boat and equipment completely: 7 days in summer (5 days in Arizona), 18 days in spring/fall and 30 days in winter.

Option #2 — If do not have time to dry your boat completely (as specied above), please contact the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources for a free, professional decontamination before you boat in another water.Contact numbers are as follows:

Law enforcement personnel will conduct random checkpoints near Lake Powell during the 2013 boating season. If you are transporting a watercraft, you will be required to stop during the checkpoints. The primary goals of the checkpoints are to:• Verify that water or mussels are not being transported• Educate boaters about the importance of properly decontaminating their watercraft and equipmentLearn more:• Mussel monitoring at Lake Powell — nps.gov/glca/parknews/musselupdate.htm• Mussel threats and prevention reports in Utah — wildlife.utah.gov/mussels

]]>waynegustaveson@hughes.net (Wayne Gustaveson)NewsWed, 08 May 2013 17:28:43 +0000History of Striped Bass management in the Colorado Riverhttp://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=541:history-of-striped-bass-management-in-the-colorado-river&catid=51:news&Itemid=50
http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=541:history-of-striped-bass-management-in-the-colorado-river&catid=51:news&Itemid=50This report now appears in an American Fisheries Society Publication on Striped Bass Management. I was asked to write the chapter on striped bass in the Colorado River. I hope you find this information helpful and interesting. I know it has been that to me as I have grown up with striped bass in Lake Powell.

]]>waynegustaveson@hughes.net (Wayne Gustaveson)NewsTue, 14 Aug 2012 18:43:39 +0000Catch and Keep - Why?http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=418:catch-and-keep-why&catid=51:news&Itemid=50
http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=418:catch-and-keep-why&catid=51:news&Itemid=50Striped bass are caught on cut dead anchovies when shad are not abundant. When shad are the main forage target then a shad-imitating lure works better. Surface lures, large marabou jigs, spoons and crankbaits work well around shad. Trolling with flat line monofilament is deadly as is leaded line and down-rigger trolling. The most exciting technique is to cast surface lures (stick baits) in surface feeding frenzies called "striper boils". During the fall and winter stripers go deep but are readily visible with the use of a fish locating graph which reduces search time and greatly enhances total harvest.

Please keep all striped bass caught so the population can stay in balance with available forage.

WHY?

Striped bass are ocean fish that can live in freshwater. Now that this population is landlocked in Lake Powell they are reproducing at an unprecedented rate due to the unique water chemistry of Lake Powell which allows eggs that settle on the substrate to hatch instead of smothering as they would in most nutrient-rich (eutrophic) lakes.

With unlimited reproduction the limiting factor for striper survival and growth is available forage. Stripers have eliminated shad from the pelagic zone on more than one occasion. From 1986-1990 there were almost no shad seen in open water of Powell. That period resulted in stunted stripers and led to the current management plan which is to reduce striped bass numbers by angler harvest. If enough stripers are removed then those that are left will benefit from the finite forage base and remain healthy and grow normally.

That program has worked. The average striper weighs about 3-4 pounds which is a good freshwater angling target. The fish are in excellent health which is my main concern. Stripers typically boil in the fall which is unheard of in most other freshwater species.

To keep the fishery as healthy as possible continue to harvest all stripers that will not be wasted. If you can't eat them all then give some to your family, friends and neighbors. Take good care of them, put fish immediately on ice, fillet as soon as possible, keep them cold and those that benefit from your good fishing fortune will be better friends and happy to see you coming up the walk. Do not waste any striped bass.

GROWTH AND SIZE OF STRIPED BASS

In lean forage years most female stripers do not mature or spawn. The population is more than adequately replenished by trophy fish and young males spawning each year. A huge year class is produced when forage is abundnant which will lead to abundant catches in the near future.

Young stripers eat plankton and insects until they are about 4 inches long at which point they prefer to eat larval fish. If shad are available in larval form and they grow with the striper crop, then striper growth is phenomenal. A young striper could reach 12-14 inches in its first year of life.

Older stripers usually eat shad first leaving the young ones to exist on plankton. Then first year stripers go into their first winter at 4-5 inches.

Yearling stripers eat plankton til shad hatch in May. Then yearlings eat shad larvae and grow quickly during summer doubling their size by fall. These efficient, most numerous fish really consume a large number of shad and prevent many shad from ever growing up and becoming food for larger stripers.

Two year old stripers from 14-18 inches eat crayfish and shad as they enter the open water in July. Stripers will grow as large as each successive year class of shad will allow. More shad equals more growth. By fall of the second year they are healthy 18-24 inch fish and at their prime - although not old enough or large enough to be sexually mature.

The key for three year old fish is to find enough shad for growth - not just maintenance - during the 3rd year. They wait for young-of-year to eat larval shad, yearlings to eat the next size larger shad and two year olds to eat in the open water in July, before they get a good crack at the remaining forage. In a good year like 2003-2004 3-year old stripers can weigh from 3-6 pounds.

Mature fish weighing more than 4 pounds grow rapidly when shad are available in open water. When shad are scarce there is no food for the larger stripers as they are forced to live in cooler water by changing physical requirements that come with maturity. Big stripers need cool water. Yearlings have no problem with warm water and can eat the very smallest shad. This "ontogenetic" partitioning of size classes works well in the ocean but has turned everything upside down in freshwater. Smallest stripers are the favored predators when shad are scarce. Adult stripers have the upper hand when shad are plentiful. Stripers up to 3 pounds have acclimated to warm water and are able to feed in water exceeding 80 degrees.

Our harvest program is absolutely essential, critical, can't-stess-enough how important, to prevent stockpiling of age classes and allowing the population to reach the point where no one has enough food. When this happens all older fish are disadvantaged and the only ones that can survive the next winter are the yoy and yearlings that can eat plankton. A massive dieoff ensues. I am trying to prevent those natural disaster die-offs by enlisting your help to harvest healthy stripers when they can be used wisely.

Catch and KEEP a striper. It is the only way we can keep this great fishery going.]]>waynegustaveson@hughes.net (Wayne Gustaveson)NewsMon, 30 Jan 2012 20:39:22 +0000Help with Bait Casting http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=414:help-with-bait-casting-&catid=51:news&Itemid=50
http://wayneswords.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=414:help-with-bait-casting-&catid=51:news&Itemid=50 I have two bait casting reels that are more sensitive to backlashes than others so here is what I would suggest you try until you get your thumb trained to help keep those professional overruns from happening. It takes some time so don’t get frustrated because you will soon be able to out cast any spinning reel by a mile!! Ask Wayne how far I can cast a topwater bait with those reels!!

First things first… loose the spider wire on that reel. The diameter of the line is too small for the reel and starts to dig into its self, you can try a larger diameter braid but I think it will do the same thing because the spool is very large. The line guide does not move fast enough across the spool to stop this from happening by crisscrossing the line instead of laying it evenly across the spool. The line is also lighter in weight which will cause or allow the spool to spin faster than having mono on it which is the real culprit of the backlash, the spool is spinning faster than the line coming off and starts to wrap around in the opposite direction.

Second. When setting the tension, make sure it is tighter than normally suggested. Set it so the bait will hardly fall or better yet not fall at all. Just a soft bounce on the rod will cause the lure to drop only a couple of inches. Normal recommendations are great for reels like a Curado that have magnetic brakes to help slow down the spool during the cast.

Next make sure you are using a rod that is heavy enough or soft enough for the lure being used. I find most guys having problems are using a lure too heavy for the rod or worse, a lure too light for the recommended rod action. With the lure too heavy the rod tip will flex too much and cause oscillations in the rod when the tip snaps back. The rod tip starts slowing down the line and it backs up down to the reel and poof it’s a mess. If the lure is too light you end up over powering the rod (casting harder than you should) to cast the lure causing the spool to spin fast initially but the lure stops in mid flight and again @#$%#%.

Here is a tip that I regularly use on any baitcaster that will help you recover from backlashes faster and keep them from being extremely bad, it will also help stop the line from loosening inside the spool. Get some 1” wide white bandage tape from the store, cut a couple pieces about a 1” or so long, wrap one piece around the rod blank just above the handle for later use. Next cast your lure about as far as you want to fish, strip off a couple of extra yards for good luck. Engage the reel and get the line guide to bring the line to the center of the spool. Place the second piece of tape on spool and over the line. Hold the line tight with your fingers and reel the lure back in. the tape will stop the backlash from going to deep and if you end up cutting it out you only have to go down to the tape. After changing lures a couple of times or if you start to cast farther and start hitting the tape, remove that piece, strip out some more line and replace with the piece that you wrapped around the rod earlier.

Lake Powell Bass Fisheries in 2012 will rival the glory years of the early 60s and 70s

Largemouth fishing won't be quite as good because there will be thousands of anglers fishing for them instead of hundreds. Smallmouth fishing will be 100% better because there weren't any smallmouth in the 70s. We got to this point after recovery from a drought and the regrowth of brush. When flooded that brush provided largemouth with needed cover to increase their population strength and vitality. Now with good forage and habitat both large and smallmouth fisheries are strong with big fish common for both species.

The smallmouth story was more about effective management. There was a time when they were little and scrawny. The population was way too large for existing conditions and available forage. The writings below chronicle how we overcame the tough times by increasing harvest and changing attitudes. Thought you might like to relive the experience:

Catch and Release - Or Keep?

My career as a biologist is unique in that I have spent my whole time on one body of water. I love Lake Powell! It is the second largest reservoir in America and has incredibly diverse fishery dynamics. There has never been time to get tired of doing the same old thing. There is new challenge each day.

I wrote this in the summer of 2001.

"Spent yesterday morning by myself in meditation concerning "my lake" and how to help it. I went to Navajo Canyon fishing for smallmouth and stripers. Found both and really enjoyed it. But my reason for being there was to finally decide what to do about the smallmouth growth slowdown. We need to harvest more fish. Most folks do not keep smallmouth. Only 5-11% of all fish caught get harvested. We have been struggling with increasing the creel limit knowing that if anglers kept 6 fish (current limit) it would help. But if we don't keep 6 fish now how will raising the limit solve the over population problem.

Obviously the question is more about education and less about numbers. So I caught and kept 6 smallmouth. Then I filleted them. It reminded me of the good old days when I filleted crappie. Fillet size and time spent was very reminiscent of crappie. But my little pile of fillets was a few short of a meal. So I caught 6 more fish and filleted them. Caught two fish better than 12 inches and released them. When I added the next batch of fillets to the pile there was just enough for a meal of real prime, thin, bite-sized, eating. Really reminded me of crappie then.

But we are talking about most visitors staying here for 3-5 days. It would be nice to have two meals when you return to CA, AZ, NV, UT or wherever. Not every one is going to keep smallmouth. The problem will still be convincing anyone to keep and fillet small fish. Those that do need to be rewarded and be able to make an impact.

So on my boat in Navajo Canyon, I decided to increase the smallmouth limit to 20 fish per day with 20 in possession. Law enforcement types do not want to separate bag and possession so I will honor their concern.

At the same time we will restrict crappie bag and possession to 10 fish to protect that population until they can find a filling reservoir condition with flooded brush which will allow them to bring off a good year class.

On January 1, 2002 a new regulation was enacted on Lake Powell that allowed anglers to keep 20 smallmouth bass. The number was not important. It could have been 10 or 30. The philosophical statement was the clincher. I wanted anglers to know that it was okay to keep a smallmouth bass. Catch and release was not working at Lake Powell. Catch and keep would help improve the fishery. Anglers responded to the new keeper philosophy by doubling the bass harvest. In 2002 and 2003 about 25% of bass caught were kept.

Fast forward to 2004. After only two years of "keeping bass" the fishery has responded in dramatic fashion. Shad forage is more abundant. Smallmouth bass are bigger and fatter. Bass tournaments held in 2002 saw winning average weights of less than 5 pounds for five 12-inch smallmouth bass. The first two tournaments held in 2004 had winning weights of over 9 pounds for five fish with a "big fish" over 3 pounds. The ratio of bass over 13 inches in the population (RSD) has improved from zero in 2000 to 20% in 2003. The outlook for 2004 is for continued bass growth and better quality fishing.

How does this work? Smallmouth targeted by our catch and keep program, those 9-11 inch bass, are the most aggressive predators. Young bass are naïve, fearless and always hungry. By keeping the smaller, most aggressive bass, more food was made available for the older, wiser fish that were more selective in feeding habits. Keeping the larger bass would have had the opposite effect of leaving the most efficient predators and not freeing up enough additional forage. Anglers were given information about the goal of the bass harvest program and the target size fish to harvest. They responded with enthusiasm. This was a victory for angler education in action.

While it seems impossible for anglers to have any impact on over populated striped bass or smallmouth bass in a lake the size of Powell, the results suggest just the opposite. With over a million angler-hours expended each year, given a direction and purpose, there was enough angler impact to make a difference. By harvesting more fish, anglers played a significant role in changing the population structure of both the bass and striper populations.

The wild card is forage status. Natural cycles often determine good and bad shad production years. The bass harvest program was instituted at a time when shad numbers were low. Shad numbers improved in 2002 and 2003. There may have been improvement in bass growth without any harvest emphasis. But one thing is for sure. There were fewer mouths to feed when the shad population exploded meaning more shad for each predator. Smallmouth bass and striped bass health and growth improved in record time to levels beyond our wildest hopes.

We nailed this one perfectly! Thanks to every angler who kept a 9-inch bass from Lake Powell. Your reward awaits. Make a fishing trip here in 2004 and see what happened!

Creel limits changed in 2002.

SMALLMOUTH BASS LIMIT IS 20:

Please keep 20 bass of the most common size (9-12 inch). Release larger bass that are large enough to eat smaller bass and will help restore the proper size balance within the smallmouth population.

LARGEMOUTH BASS LIMIT IS 5:

Largemouth have declined in number due to lack of brushy cover and declined in size due to competition for forage with other game fish. Please release all largemouth which will allow these faster growing bass to represent a larger portion of the bass community.

BLACK CRAPPIE LIMIT IS 10:

Decline in flooded brush during spawning season has caused a decline in crappie numbers. The limit has been decreased to still allow some limited harvest but to protect crappie until higher lake levels cover new brush and allow crappie populations to expand.

Details of growth slowdown of smallmouth bass:

Average size of smallmouth bass in lake Powell is smaller now than it was from 1990 to 1997. Proportional Stock Density (PSD) defined in this study, as a ratio of number of smallmouth bass in the population greater than 11 inches has declined from a high of 81% in 1993 to a low of 33% in 2000. Relative Stock Density (RSD-p) which is angler preferred size fish greater than 13.7 inches has declined from 32% in 1992 to 0% in 2000.

Smallmouth are smaller in size for one or all of the following reasons:

Growth has slowed for most fish probably due to competition with each other for limited food. One year old fish caught in 1992-1995 were 8.8 inches long (11.2 inches at age 2). One year old fish caught from 1996-2000 were only 7.2 inches long (8.8 inches at age 2). Lake Powell smallmouth that once entered the "stock" (11 inches) at age 1+ now don't get that big until age 2+. Quality lengths (13.7 inches) once attained at age 3 now requires 5 years growth.

Excessively high reproduction does not appear to be driving average size down. Recent measurement of annual production by electrofishing collection has found less age 0 fish than previous surveys.

Fish physical condition (relative weight) is declining along with growth. One possible problem is the largemouth bass tapeworm which infects most of the population and has since smallmouth were introduced. While the parasite is NOT outwardly visible, and does NOT effect eating quality, it may have a negative effect on reproduction and growth. It is felt that the parasite has a compounding effect during periods of slow growth and intense competition. Parasite effect is worse when food is scarce. Crayfish are the mainstay of the diet and eating the hard shelled crayfish helps purge the adult parasite from the gut. It is only intermediate parasite life stages that live in the organs and tissues that are taxing for the fish.

Anglers at Lake Powell voluntarily released 83% of all smallmouth caught in 1997 and 89% in 2000. Over 573,000 smallmouth were caught and only 63,000 kept. Very few fish already in hand are kept due to angler philosophy, and smaller size of average fish. This voluntary return persisted even when average size of bass was larger.

DISCUSSION:

The obvious response to the problem is that there are too many smallmouth bass with not enough food. With striped bass in similar conditions we have recommended maximum angler harvest to bring predator numbers in balance with forage supplies. That seems to be exactly what is needed to meet this challenge.

Increased harvest is a good step without irreversible ramifications since it is the present nature of the angler not to keep bass. If it turned out that smallmouth populations began to plummet due to harvest and/or natural causes, we could simply say "don't keep smallmouth" and that would happen.

Increasing limits to allow a substantial harvest is a biological statement made to address the growth slow down. The bigger challenge is to educate anglers to keep smallmouth bass and particularly the 9-11 inch smallmouth bass that are so abundant. The limit increase is a message to the angling public that managing agencies recognize a problem and have assigned a regulation to address the problem realizing that a change in angler attitude will ultimate determine the success or failure of the regulation.

Summary 2011-

Smallmouth maintain their unprecedented healthy physical condition. Relative weight is at a decade high point.

Largemouth Bass are more numerous and larger than they have been in the past decade.

Crappie are abundant. A new lake/state record 3 pound 5 ounce monster was caught. The 10 fish limit remains restrictive as that population will slowly decline over the next 5 years, now that the shoreline brush has been covered and will decompose.

Theses are the new glory years for the lake. I hope you enjoy them as much as I.

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well-balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. So, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

However, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury. For most people, the risk from mercury by eating fish and shellfish is not a health concern. Yet, some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. The risks from mercury in fish and shellfish depend on the amount of fish and shellfish eaten and the levels of mercury in the fish and shellfish. Therefore, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are advising women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children to avoid some types of fish and eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.

Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.

Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.

Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.

1. What is mercury and methylmercury?

Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and can also be released into the air through industrial pollution. Mercury falls from the air and can accumulate in streams and oceans and is turned into methylmercury in the water. It is this type of mercury that can be harmful to your unborn baby and young child. Fish absorb the methylmercury as they feed in these waters and so it builds up in them. It builds up more in some types of fish and shellfish than others, depending on what the fish eat, which is why the levels vary.

2. I'm a woman who could have children but I'm not pregnant - so why should I be concerned about methylmercury?

If you regularly eat types of fish that are high in methylmercury, it can accumulate in your blood stream over time. Methylmercury is removed from the body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly. Thus, it may be present in a woman even before she becomes pregnant. This is the reason why women who are trying to become pregnant should also avoid eating certain types of fish.

3. Is there methylmercury in all fish and shellfish?

Nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of methylmercury. However, larger fish that have lived longer have the highest levels of methylmercury because they've had more time to accumulate it. These large fish (swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish) pose the greatest risk. Other types of fish and shellfish may be eaten in the amounts recommended by FDA and EPA.

4. I don't see the fish I eat in the advisory. What should I do?

If you want more information about the levels in the various types of fish you eat, see the FDA food safety web site exit EPA or the EPA Fish Advisory website.

5. What about fish sticks and fast food sandwiches?

Fish sticks and "fast-food" sandwiches are commonly made from fish that are low in mercury.

6. The advice about canned tuna is in the advisory, but what's the advice about tuna steaks?

Because tuna steak generally contains higher levels of mercury than canned light tuna, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of tuna steak per week.

7. What if I eat more than the recommended amount of fish and shellfish in a week?

One week's consumption of fish does not change the level of methylmercury in the body much at all. If you eat a lot of fish one week, you can cut back for the next week or two. Just make sure you average the recommended amount per week.

8. Where do I get information about the safety of fish caught recreationally by family or friends?

Before you go fishing, check your Fishing Regulations Booklet for information about recreationally caught fish. You can also contact your local health department for information about local advisories. You need to check local advisories because some kinds of fish and shellfish caught in your local waters may have higher or much lower than average levels of mercury. This depends on the levels of mercury in the water in which the fish are caught. Those fish with much lower levels may be eaten more frequently and in larger amounts.

LAKE POWELL - Current Status

Ten average-sized striped bass were sampled from Lake Powell (Navajo Canyon to Rock Creek). Mercury content was analyzed and found to average .27 ppm in the 10 fish combined. Some individuals were higher and some lower. The National average mercury level in striped bass and smallmouth bass is 0.27 ppm.

www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/tissue-slide.pdf

The standard for concern set by EPA is .30 ppm and greater. If fish flesh has more mercury than that a health advisory is required. Since some individual fish were found to have higher mercury levels (.57 was highest) a health advisory may be prudent. The average is lower than the advisory level so more testing will be conducted.

We did test the 38.5 pound trophy fish and found it to have a mercury concentration of 1.01 ppm. Older fish accumulate more mercury. It would be wise to use trophy fish for just that - trophies and not for consumption. Conversely, to be safe eat smaller stripers (<3 pounds) as often as desired.

I will collect many more striped bass and other fish species this November and submit those fish for further testing.

So, for now, to be wise the following guidelines are recommended: This is not a formal declaration or warning - just information until further testing is conducted.

Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children are advised to avoid some types of fish and to only eat fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. The types of fish to avoid include Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury. The most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are Shrimp, canned light Tuna, Salmon, Pollock and Catfish. Up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish can be eaten. Another commonly eaten fish, Albacore ("white") Tuna has more mercury than canned light Tuna. Up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of Albacore Tuna can be eaten per week.

All other healthy adults can eat fish 2-3 times each week without undue concern

Freshwater smallmouth bass and striped bass fall into the category with other fish species that are slightly below the EPA standard of concern in mercury concentration.

Fish and shellfish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish and shellfish contain high quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat and contain omega-3 fatty acids. A well balanced diet that includes a variety of fish and shellfish can contribute to heart health and children's proper growth and development. Thus, women and young children in particular should include fish or shellfish in their diets due to the many nutritional benefits.

Research shows that most people's fish consumption does not cause a health concern. However, high levels of mercury in the bloodstream of unborn babies and young children may harm the developing nervous system. With this in mind, FDA and EPA designed an advisory that if followed should keep an individual's mercury consumption below levels that have been shown to cause harm. By following the advisory parents can be confident of reducing their unborn or young child's exposure to the harmful effects of mercury, while at the same time maintaining a healthy diet that includes the nutritional benefits of fish and shellfish.

BOTTOM LINE

We want you to continue to harvest and eat fish from Lake Powell. Don't eat fish every day but eating fish twice a week is a healthy habit. If you fall in the category of mothers and children of risk then be very cautious when planning your diet. Include some fish but do it in moderation. Healthy adults are able to eat much more fish than mothers and children.

Testimonial: There is probably no better real life example of someone that has eaten fish from Lake Powell for a lifetime than me and my family. We are healthy due in some small part because we have included fish in our diet at least twice a month and probably 4 times a month for the past 30 years.